Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Summary: Ron. Hermione. An ancient castle and…non existent geography? (To be posted in three installments.)

I'm sorry, just cannot summarize this- why don't you try?

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A/n: this is the first multi-chapter fic I'm putting up. Though I personally prefer and feel more secure, writing one-shots, I assure you, however weird it may seem, this story has a plot. A unique one, if I may say so.

Beware- all is not what it seems…

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This one's for you elixirgurl!

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An Allegory

By

Venatianwings

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Chapter One

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"I-i-i- er- I might, I mean- i-…"

It was here! The moment they'd been waiting for, for seven long torturous, guilt-ridden years…

Hermione waited patiently for Ron Weasley to finish his sentence.

"you no, I don't think- see- I-I , well, i-that is-"

It did seem a long time coming though….

Hermione sighed.

"Alright. I-OUCH!" yelled Ron suddenly, clutching his head, which felt like someone had just mercilessly dropped Hagrid's teakettle on it. He turned around wildly to see who had hit him, but felt his knees give way beneath him just before his eyes rolled back and his senses floated into blissful oblivion…

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"Ron! Ron!" the anxious voice sounded very far away.

"Ron! Oh please wake up!"

"Hermione?" he said groggily.

"Oh thank goodness…I was so worried!"

Ron struggled to sit up slowly. He focused his eyes rather painfully and looked around. "Where are we?"

"-we've got to get out of here Ron," said Hermione and hastened to pull him up, when a small voice interrupted them…

"Who-who's there?"

A shriveling old man, completely bald, with a long white beard appeared to their left. He had his hands spread out before him slightly, as if he was feeling his way around…

A low snarling to their right, however, drew their attention from the man. Between two splendid pillars, in the shadow of an archway, shone two very yellow, very angry eyes…they stood out in the darkness like jewels in a velvet case.

Hermione unconsciously backed into Ron.

The snarl then broke out into a full, fierce growl, growing louder as the beast stepped closer…

They watched, horrified, as the creature stepped into the dimly lit hall.

The huge St. Bernard then started to bark wildly at them.

"There now, down boy!"

Woof?

"You don't want to scare off our guests- down I say!"

The great dog whimpered and slinked away.

"Don't mind my dog" the old man said, turning to them "he's just mad…Now, I'm really glad you could join us- we are always expecting someone for tea."

"-er- we'd really love to stay" spoke Hermione, "but we should be getting back to the castle…"

"Castle you say? Well my dear, this one's just as fine as any you'll find!" he guffawed pleasantly.

"you bet" said Ron, looking a mite awed at the sheer enormity of the place… "by the way, who are you?"

"I'm Joe. Joe Blind. And if you're wondering, yes, I am blind."

"Oh" said Hermione softly. "Do you live here?"

"Why yes. This is my home… and you are my honorary guests! Now, if you will, I insist you stay for tea…"

"No, really, I wish we could, but we can't." Ron said, glancing at Hermione.

"Rubbish! Of course you can…now tell me, what are your names?"

Ron and Hermione exchanged a quizzical glance before complying.

The old man seemed so persistent about tea after the rather awkward pleasantries, that there was nothing they could do but accept.

"So Miss Granger- Mr. Weasley- is it?" he continued after Ron's affirmation, "charming couple, I'm sure."

"-er- we're not a couple" Ron interjected quickly.

But the man didn't seem to hear, he only turned around dramatically and flouncing his hand about vaguely, continued as if there had been no interruption. "Ah young love!..." he sighed contently, "Always a soft spot for me…"

"Really, Mr. Blind-" began a rather rosy cheeked Hermione.

"But never mind that" Joe went on "now, do let me show you around the castle...if that's alright with you." he added, looking back at them inquiringly.

Ron shrugged. "-er-"

Taking that to indicate a yes, the man smiled brightly at them and turned to lead the way.

Hermione looked doubtful.

"Keep your wand at the ready Ron," she whispered.

"You won't need your wands!" came a gruff voice from behind, startling them both. They turned around to face an incredibly large man, looking down scornfully at them.

"They're useless here!" he scoffed.

"Brutus!" cried Joe. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to tell you to keep that mad dog of yours out of my way! Or I might just chuck him into the moat next time he comes anywhere near my foot! I've got my duty to do and no one's going to stop me!" saying so, he sent Ron and Hermione another severe glare before he turned and left.

"Big fella." Ron remarked, "Beats Hagrid, I guess"

"Brutus. The gatekeeper." Said Joe "Never really liked the guy. Very intense, if I may say so. Brown!" he called out…

A second later, a tall, lean, bald man in a black tailored suit, appeared from a doorway half hidden behind a large sculpture of a damsel holding a bouquet of flowers, reaching out to a boy who sat on a rock above her.

"Yes Joe, what can I do for you?" asked Mr. Brown, in a grave voice.

"The dog's gone and done it again! Would you please, just put him back in his cage? before Brutus does anything drastic, like declare war!"

The butler smiled wryly. "I shall do that."

"I don't know what I would have done without you Brown…wouldn't you like to meet our guests?"

Brown nodded to Ron and Hermione as Joe introduced them and without further ado, proceeded to do what he had promised.

"I'd trust him with my life, I would!" Joe said, after the retreating form of Mr. Brown. He cleared his throat "Now, where were we?...ah, yes! The castle. If you'd be so kind, Miss Granger, just touch my arm now and then. I'd like to be sure I don't walk into anything that mad dog left lying around."

Hermione smiled. Then remembered he couldn't see it, so said, "of course Mr. Blind," and moved forward to lead him by the arm.

"Joe, dear. Just Joe."

"um- Joe?" Ron spoke "Do you have a leaky faucet here somewhere? I mean, what's with all the fog?"

"The fog- Mr. Weasley?"

"Yeah, I can hardly see the floor, can I? It's covered in- well, fog!"

"Oh! You mean the music!"

Hermione looked around herself. As far as she could see, the castle floor was hidden beneath a thin layer of what appeared to be moving fog, little wisps of which were dancing around her knees.

"music?" repeated Ron, "I can't hear anything!"

"Oh yes, you can," smiled Joe. "…if you sit down."

Ron tried it. The mist surrounded his head.

"The mistress is very fond of song" Joe told Hermione who watched a slow smile break out over Ron's previously unsure face, as he sat cross-legged and barely visible, on the castle floor. "We have orders to keep the place flooded. If you'll just look out the window, Miss Granger, you'll see there's nothing but song for miles around us."

Hermione walked to the grand French window to her side and peeped out.

Beyond the castle grounds, the bright green lawns of which she could just barely make out, the fog grew so thick, she couldn't say if it were land or sea that surrounded them.

"Mr. Blind, er, Joe, can I ask you something?"

"Of course Miss Granger"

"Where are we?"

Hermione was sure she didn't know what his answer would be, but she certainly didn't expect him to look startled.

"You mean to say, you don't know?" he asked, before he chuckled into his hand.

"What's so funny?" asked Ron, coming to stand by her side, now looking very relaxed.

"I just asked him where we were-" whispered Hermione, frowning a bit.

"Good point." said Ron, peering out the window. "Say, where are we anyway?"

The old man laughed harder "well we're here, aren't we?" He guffawed, then did a merry twirl-of-sort and promptly landed himself with an 'ummph!' on the ground.

"Has he gone mad?" asked a bewildered Ron, staring as Hermione rushed forward to help him up.

"Oh no, Miss Granger, not just yet…"he said, brushing off her hand, "I love this song. One of my favorites really…" and he sat up and started to nod in the fog.

Hermione frowned and looked at Ron.

"But I don't understand!" she cried.

"Well that's saying something," said Ron, earning him an elbow in the ribs.

"This is not the time for jokes, Ron!" she turned him around so that they were now facing the window again.

"Look." she ordered.

Ron pressed his face to the glass- "wow, are those- are those thestrals?- hold on, I don't think I've seen anyone die as yet!"

Hermione wasn't trying very hard to cover her irritation "they're horses Ron!"

"Horses?-"

"But that's not the point!" she half-shouted "Ron, there's something wrong with this place! If you didn't notice, there's no sun!"

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So there's the first chappie! I suppose you are absolutely clueless. But by the end of this story, hopefully you'll appreciate its difference.